Winter is filled with long, dreary days that can leave you in a less than pleasing mood. When you feel as if you cannot handle one more dreary day, you can spruce up your home with beautiful flowers by forcing the growth of indoor bulbs. There are a variety of flowers you can grow indoors, including tulips, daffodils and amaryllis.
Choosing the Bulbs
You should choose your bulbs that are meant for use indoors the same as you would choose them for outdoor use. The larger the bulb, the healthier the flowers typically turn out. In addition, the healthier the bulb looks, the more likely it will be to turn into actual flowers. Any bulbs you receive that look shriveled up or damaged should be tossed, saving room for only those that look optimal and will provide ample flowers.
Potting
You will need good quality pots to place your indoor bulbs in before you force them to grow. Make sure the pot provides plenty of drainage. If it does not offer a good flow of the water, you can add pebbles or even broken up Styrofoam in the bottom of the pot to encourage better draining. Make a mixture of peat moss and potting soil and fill the pot halfway. Place the bulbs in the pot, as close together as possible without actually touching each other. You should then fill the pot the rest of the way with your soil mixture.
The Cooling Period
Just as bulbs would go through a dormant phase in the winter if they were planted outdoors, they need to go through a similar phase indoors. In order to force the cooling period, you can put them in a cooler to trick them into blooming. The cooler can be your refrigerator because they will need to stay there for at least three months. If you cannot place them in your refrigerator, a cool, dark place is essential to force the process.
If you desire beautiful spring colors in the dead of winter in your home, it is possible through the procedure of forcing indoor bulbs to grow. The easiest bulbs to attempt this process are amaryllis, but there are also many other types, including tulips and daffodils that can successfully undergo the process. With a little legwork, knowledge and dedication, you can fill your home with gorgeous colored springtime flowers during the winter, making your home look inviting and possibly even lifting everyone’s spirits.
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